Rugby League World Cup: Tournament is seen as 'third tier' in Australia - Kear

The Rugby League World Cup is viewed as a "third-tier competition" in Australia, says Wales coach John Kear.

Kear believes the tournament, which has reached the halfway stage, is viewed as inferior to the State of Origin and the NRL.

"You have got to have wake-up calls and I think we are getting one," Kear said.

"I get the impression from speaking to people involved in the game in the southern hemisphere that this is looked upon as a third-tier comp," he said.

"They say State of Origin is the top tier, followed by NRL and this is seen as a standard below NRL and it probably is," he continued.

"And that is reflected in the interest shown in it."

The State of Origin series is the annual best-of-three rugby league match series between Australia's two major teams, Queensland and New South Wales, while the NRL is the league competition featuring clubs from across Australasia.

The World Cup has been a difficult experience for Wales and Scotland especially, with both having conceded more than 120 points in their two group games to date while England have yet to demonstrate they are genuine title contenders.

Ireland have been the one success story for the northern hemisphere, whiel the Pacific nations, bolstered by a wealth of NRL talent, have largely impressed.

Kear says the tournament has been even tougher than he expected after heavy defeats by Papua New Guinea and Fiji.

"It has been really difficult and the results make it that way," said Kear, who arrived with his Welsh squad in Perth on Monday night to prepare for their final group game against Ireland on Sunday, 12 November.

"But the eye-opening thing for me is, from the last time I came down under to the time now, things have moved on so greatly.

"We trained at the North Queensland Cowboys training ground and those facilities just knock anything in the Super League into a cocked hat.

"So, they not only have a greater player pool, but I also believe they have got a better development path and a better performance path at the elite end and results are showing that.

"I do not want to depress everyone, but results are showing just how good the southern hemisphere teams really are."

Kear, who is full-time head of rugby at Super League club Wakefield, says the new pay agreement reached between the NRL and its players will help widen the gap further and argues Super League falls way behind their Australasian counterparts when it comes to player welfare issues.

Scotland and Wales were particularly badly hit by player unavailability for the World Cup.

"I think southern hemisphere players make themselves available because they have got six weeks off at the end of it, while a lot of northern hemisphere players will go back and have two weeks break maximum," he said.

"That is no good for anyone."

Meanwhile, Kear insists he wants to stay in the job despite Wales' disappointing results so far.

"If they do not want me because of results, I would understand it and take it on the chin," he said.

"But I do not see any point in throwing the towel in.

"I believe in the international game and I would like to improve it, but we have had our bottoms spanked and we have got to learn from it."